According to reports, a significant number of people, around 100, have lost their lives in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in India due to the recent surge in temperatures. Consequently, authorities in Uttar Pradesh have initiated an investigation into the numerous deaths, some of which are believed to be linked to a heatwave, as reported by the BBC.
The state of Uttar Pradesh witnessed a death toll ranging from 96 to 98, with the Ballia district accounting for 68 of the registered deaths, according to BBC. On Sunday (June 18), temperatures in the Ballia district surpassed the average of 38 degrees Celsius, reaching 43 degrees Celsius, accompanied by a relative humidity of 25 percent.
An Associated Press report indicated that a majority of the deceased were over the age of 60, and some had pre-existing health conditions that were exacerbated by the extreme heat. The government has advised elderly individuals to remain indoors as temperatures in various parts of Uttar Pradesh ranged from 42 to 47 degrees Celsius in the past week.
A controversy emerged when a district health official, who suggested that the deaths may have been caused by the heat, was transferred from Uttar Pradesh the following day, as reported by the BBC. Diwakar Singh, the chief of the Ballia district hospital, informed reporters that at least 25 deaths had been recorded and heat may have been a contributing factor.
Singh stated, “Most of the patients were above 60 and had pre-existing ailments. These conditions were exacerbated by the heat, and they were brought to the hospital in critical condition. Despite receiving adequate treatment and medications, they passed away.” Soon after his statement, Singh was transferred from his position. Uttar Pradesh’s Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister, Brajesh Pathak, deemed Singh’s comments “careless” and asserted that the government was taking the situation “very seriously.”
In response to the situation, the state government dispatched two senior officials to investigate the deaths and established a panel to submit a comprehensive report on the matter. However, several opposition leaders have criticized the government for not issuing warnings about the heatwave.
Likewise, officials in the neighboring state of Bihar, where 40 deaths have been attributed to the heat since May 31, have refuted these claims. Dr. Umesh Kumar, the official in charge of Bihar’s disaster control room, informed the BBC that they had only received one confirmed report of a death due to extreme heat in Jehanabad district.
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